History of Coinage and Paper Currency of Malaya(1939-1952)

Posted by Peter on February 20th, 2010

From 1933 to 1938, the question of Malayan currency was under review by a commissioner, Sir Basil P. Blackett, appointed by the Secretary of State for the Colonies. The reason for this was the continuous agitation by the Federated Malay States(FMS) ( Perak, Selangor, Pahang and Negri Sembilan) for a share of the profits arising from the Straits Settlements currency note issues.

In 1938 the Board of Commissioners of Currency, Malaya came into being and started to issue currency in 1939. The obverse had the inscription “George I King and Emperor of India” but after the India independence Act1947, the British Parliament assented to the omission of “Emperor of Indi” from the Royal Style and Titles. Hence, the coin issus from Malaya from 1948 to 1950 were lettered to read ” King George The Sixth” on the obverse

On 8 th December 1941, the Japanese attacked Malaya and started issuing their “Banana Money.” No coins were issue during the Japanese occupation. The Japanese surrendered on 12 th September 1945, and Malaya came under the rule of the British Military Administration until January 1946 when the Malayan Union(FMS +Unfederated States(Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan, Trengganu and Johore) and the Settlements of Penang and Malacca was formed. This proved to be very unpopular and on 1st February 1948, the Federation of Malaya came into beng.

As a result of the transfer of Sarawak, British North Borneo and Labuan to the Colonial Office, the Board of Commissioners of Currency, Malaya ceased to exist. On 1st January 1952, the Board of Commissioner of Currenc, Malaya and British Borneo came into being.

All coins for Malaya were minted at the Royal Mint London, except for the coins with the “i” mint mark which were minted at the Calcutta mint (for 1941) and the Bombay mint(for 1945), India.

The coinage for Malaya bears the effigy of King George the Sixth 1936-1952